A cruise ship passenger has been reported overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, reports online say.

A search is underway for a passenger who was reported having gone overboard while on a 1980s-themed Royal Caribbean cruise in the Bahamas.

Multiple reports on social media from passengers on Explorer of the Seas were posted online. The incident happened around 11 p.m. on the first day of the sailing.

"Day 1 of the 80s cruise, all going well, then we hear “Oscar Oscar Oscar” overhead. And sure enough, the ship is turning around to search. Officer just came over the PA to announce the details," said Reddit user SkySeaSnow.

The code "oscar, oscar, oscar" is how crew members quickly identify there's a man overboard situation.

This particular sailing happened to be a full ship charter to offer a 1980s themed music and culture sailing, where the entire ship and sailing was based on the decade.

The ship departed Miami on March 2 for a 7-night sailing, with scheduled stops in Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

Cruise ship tracking data showed Explorer stopping and reversing course to conduct a search for the person.

In fact, other cruise ships that were in the area joined in the search. Mapping data shows Norwegian Pearl and Carnival Sunrise may have assisted in the search.

"We are on Norwegian Pearl. We passed by and had our search lights on," wrote Jarega.

There's been no official word from Royal Caribbean on the incident.

What happened

Reports of what exactly happened are always tricky as there's usually a lot of hearsay, but a few people said it was from a woman on deck 8.

Reddit user Sweet_Independent_50 posted, "Yes, it was a woman that jumped from deck 8. I met her husband screaming help help. My my wife just jumped off the boat. He said it to me."

The search took some time but there's been no reports of her being found.  Statistically, it's unlikely to be rescued once overboard, but it's not impossible.

Explorer of the Seas arrived in Nassau, Bahamas earlier this morning, as scheduled.

Onboard safety precautions

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low.

Deck railings on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are at least 42-inches high, which comply Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010.

In addition, there are thick metal or Plexiglas panels or metal bars are positioned under the railings to prevent people from slipping through. 

When a man overboard situation occurs, the media usually reports on it and it leads some to wonder how it could happen in the first place.

An article from The Points Guy points out cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

"The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to. It's not possible for you to trip over a door frame or slip on a wet deck and fall off of a vessel."

Passengers going overboard are rare

The chances of a cruise ship passenger going overboard are quite low, but it does occasionally happen.

In a report from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers between 2009 to 2019. 

Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

The CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.” 

Videos are surfacing online of on Explorer of the Seas, capturing the ship's sudden tilt during a recent squall.

The incident took place on Thursday evening this week while Explorer of the Seas was crossing the Atlantic Ocean.  After visiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Explorer of the Seas began her transatlantic journey to Miami, Florida. 

While off the coast of Africa, the ship was hit by a squall - or a sudden, sharp gust of sustained wind. This caused the ship to tilt on its side, wreaking havoc onboard.

A video of the incident is currently going viral on TikTok with more than 4 million views. The video was filmed on the Royal Promenade when Explorer of the Seas was struck by the squall. Over 4k viewers have commented on the TikTok, which has amassed over 143k likes. The video was shared by user @digitalnomodo, also known as Digital Nomad Around The World.

The footage shows Explorer of the Seas tilting significantly during the squall incident, with merchandise spewing across the floor and guests attempting to navigate the tilting promenade. Two guests appear caught off guard as they walk sideways, nearly getting hit by a screen sliding across the floor. Another male guest is seen in the footage clinging to a table for support. 

The viral TikTok continues to show the Royal Promenade turning into chaos with items falling all over the floor. The two guests eventually reach out to hold onto one of the employees to keep their balance. The three people hold hands while the ship rocks. People are also shown walking sideways as the ship tilts during the squall.

The aftermath of the squall is shown at the end of the video, with one woman having a heated discussion with two crew members. It’s unclear what exactly is happening during this encounter, although the woman is seen pointing into one of the stores. Merchandise is scattered across the floor with one of the screens lying atop a table. 

Because the squall struck later in the evening, the Royal Promenade was filled with items for guests to shop, as is common on cruise ships. This likely caused more of a mess, as much of the merchandise was out for display.

Explorer of the Seas had already adjusted her transatlantic crossing due to historic flooding in Valencia, Spain. The itinerary was changed once again due to Tropical Storm Patty in the Atlantic Ocean, causing the ship to visit the Canary Islands instead. When the ship was around 750 miles off the coast of Africa, a squall struck with extreme winds and rough conditions. By definition, squalls involve sudden and sustained gusts of wind, often accompanied by rough seas and dangerous storm conditions. 

The ship steered out of the squall safely thanks to the captain’s quick actions. Guests and crew members were directed to return to their staterooms for accountability counts to ensure everyone was safe. Luckily, all guests and crew were accounted for. Some minor injuries were reported due to the incident, according to guests currently onboard. According to passengers on the ship, some crew members were also injured during the squall. 

A map of the ship’s route on CruiseMapper shows the ship veering quickly before continuing on its transatlantic journey. However, Explorer of the Seas reverted its course shortly after and returned to the Canary Islands for a medical disembarkation.

In an official statement, Royal Caribbean said the ship experienced “sudden movement” when it was hit by an “unexpected wind gust”. Because of the incident, Royal Caribbean confirmed one guest required additional medical attention in Las Palmas, which is the capital city of the Canary Islands and the largest city in Gran Canaria. The cruise line did not specify the severity of the guest’s injuries.

The captain’s decision to return to the Canary Islands is not surprising, as Explorer of the Seas will be spending the next week crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The 12-night itinerary will be delayed returning to Miami, Florida by three days due to the incident.

The sailing departed from Barcelona, Spain on November 2, 2024 for the transatlantic itinerary. The original sailing included stops in Valencia (Spain), Malaga (Spain) and the Azores before six days of sailing to Miami, Florida. The stop in Valencia, Spain was replaced with Cartagena, Spain due to the catastrophic flooding that occurred a few weeks ago.

The ship’s port of call in the Azores was also cancelled due to weather, as Tropical Storm Patty would bring rough seas to the region. The captain instead rerouted the ship to Tenerife in the Canary Islands before beginning the transatlantic crossing.

When the ship encountered the squall, guests onboard described the situation as “terrifying” with many passengers panicking. Because the squall was unexpected, guests were going about their evening onboard the ship. Many passengers were in the theatre for the evening show when the ship started to rock violently.

One guest wrote on Facebook, “We were hit by a surprise squall and the ship listed port side really far and stayed tilted for about somewhere between 5-10 minutes.”

“I am not alone in saying I thought the ship was going over,” commented another passenger online. Another responded, “We were on deck 12, and thought it was going to tip. It was terrifying.”

The captain apparently told guests that wind speeds “basically doubled in intensity within six minutes” during the squall. Because it was an unexpected weather event, the ship could not have prepared for the wind intensity.

Images of the incident were quickly shared online, with many passengers capturing the chaos and damage onboard. The bars onboard Explorer of the Seas were particularly impacted with broken glassware, shattered liquor bottles and spilled liquids.

Passengers on the transatlantic sailing also reported damage to their cabins with one guest describing a scene of broken glassware and shattered wine bottles in their stateroom. However, once all guests and crew members were accounted for, the ship was given an “all clear” and passengers were free to leave their staterooms.

Photos from the incident show the ship’s crew members working hard to clean up the mess and ensure the guests were taken care of. Many praised the hard working crew, along with the ship’s captain for his handling of the incident in keeping everyone safe.

“[The captain] took us out of harm’s way. And I thank him from the bottom of my heart for doing so. Yes, I was scared, probably not as much as others because we were in our cabin when the ship listed, but Captain Frank immediately came on over the intercom to tell us that we were changing course for about 30 minutes to avoid the unexpected squall, and that we were safe,” shared one passenger onboard.

Guests were later told that the ship needed to return to the Canary Islands for the medical emergency, in which the ship would also refuel and get provisions. Because of this, Explorer of the Seas will arrive back in Miami, Florida on November 17, 2024 - three days later than her originally scheduled date of November 14, 2024.

Explorer of the Seas was scheduled to sail on a 10-night Southern Caribbean itinerary on November 14, 2024 after the completion of her transatlantic crossing. That itinerary has now been shortened to a 7-night Southern Caribbean itinerary with the loss of three port stops because of the delay. Guests on the impacted itinerary will receive a prorated refund, along with onboard credit to use during the cruise because of the shortened sailing.

At the time of publication, Explorer of the Seas is sailing on the southern side of Gran Canaria after departing from Las Palmas. The ship will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in Miami, Florida for her winter season, sailing itineraries around the Caribbean. Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager class ship that was originally built in 2000. The vessel, measuring 137,000 gross registered tons, has 14 decks. At maximum capacity, the ship can hold 4,290 passengers. 

A sudden, powerful squall struck Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas during its transatlantic crossing, causing disarray on the ship and injuring several guests onboard. 

According to guests on the sailing, Explorer of the Seas encountered a squall while sailing off the coast of Africa towards Miami, Florida. A squall is defined as a sharp, sudden increase in wind speed that lasts for minutes. Squalls can form quickly - in a matter of minutes - and cultivate rough seas, heavy rain, and changes in atmospheric pressure.

On the Crown and Anchor Society Facebook page, David Wong posted, “We were suddenly hit by a 55mph squall to the starboard side and the ship was tilted to the port side at a scary angle. We were all instructed to stay in our cabin for head counts and to check if anyone was hurt. I don’t think anyone was seriously injured.”

(Image shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Explorer of the Seas is currently sailing on a 12-night itinerary from Barcelona, Spain to Miami, Florida. After spending her summer sailing in Europe, Explorer of the Seas is on her repositioning voyage for a winter season in the Caribbean.

Unfortunately, the ill-fated voyage has already experienced unexpected changes before the squall incident. Explorer of the Seas was scheduled to visit Valencia (Spain), Malaga (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) on her original itinerary before crossing the Atlantic. Due to catastrophic flooding that devastated Valencia last week, the ship was diverted to Cartagena, Spain instead.

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

However, that wasn’t the only weather-related diversion for the ship. Because of Tropical Storm Patty in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Explorer of the Seas had to skip its scheduled port stop in the Azores as well. The cruise ship instead visited Tenerife in the Canary Islands prior to beginning her ocean crossing.

While only about 750 miles off the coast of Morocco, Explorer of the Seas was unexpectedly struck by damaging winds from a squall. The captain allegedly acted quickly to redirect the ship and safely handle the incident. According to Ron Warren online, the ship listed severely for “somewhere between 5 to 10 minutes” during the incident.

The squall left Explorer of the Seas in shambles, as photos of the aftermath are now being shared online. The damage and apparent chaos can be seen around the vessel in many of the photos. Impacted areas including the Promenade, casino, bars, Windjammer and retail shops. 

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

The shocking images show extensive damage across the ship, particularly in the bar areas. Photos show spilled liquor, broken glassware and shattered bottles scattered across the floor. The retail shops onboard show more damage with clothing, perfume, watches and more merchandise spewed around the ship.

More pictures from guests onboard show furniture and decor overturned in the ship’s hallways and common areas. Tables in the ship’s casino are also flipped due to the ship’s steep listing. Even still, many photos show the crew members working tirelessly and swiftly to clean up the damage around the ship.

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Following the incident, the captain apparently ordered all guests to remain in their cabins so they could properly account for all passengers onboard. Crew members were also ordered to their cabins for accountability purposes. Online, some passengers have shared that medical announcements were made to assist guests who are injured from the incident.

Impacted guests onboard Explorer of the Seas are understandably shaken by the scary incident. “It was horrible. Terrifying. I’ve ever been scared on a cruise ship before, and I’ve done multiple transatlantic. I am not alone in saying I thought the ship was going over,” shared Patty Laushman.

(Explorer of the Seas' location as of November 7, 2024, 20:25 CST)

“This is our first transatlantic, and yes, it was scary, maybe not so much for us because we were in our cabin. But, I thank Captain Frank from the bottom of my heart that he immediately, and literally, steered us out of harm’s way. Broken dishes and knocked- over-tables can be replaced and fixed, but as far as we know, we are all safe,” said Annette Hodges.

Another guest, Madge McLennan, shared how she was in the theatre waiting for a show to begin when the squall hit. She describes people starting to “panic and race for the exit” during the unnerving situation. She also explained how a bottle of wine in their cabin hit the floor and smashed following the heavy winds. 

(Image shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Moreover, Jonathan Parrish shared an image of Explorer’s current navigational path, showing an obvious course diversion due to the squall. “This is the drastic right turn we made due to the winds. Amazing job to the Captain for a quick reaction: turning and slowing" he shared on Facebook. 

According to guests currently onboard, Explorer of the Seas is now diverting back to the Canary Islands. "Captain Frank just announced they turned back due to a medical emergency and they will refuel and get provisions in the Canary Islands He also says that we wont arrive in Miami until [November] 17th, NOT the 14th as scheduled," wrote Kimberly Melton. 

Explorer of the Seas is currently sailing east towards towards Africa based on CruiseMapper's location. This will apparently delay the ship's scheduled return to Miami by three days, based on passenger's reporting. Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to sail on a 10-night Southern Caribbean on November 14, 2024 from Miami, Florida following the ship's transatlantic journey. 

Royal Caribbean has not provided a comment on the incident as of the time of publication.

A cruise ship passenger may have gone overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, reports online say.

According to a post on Reddit, guests aboard Explorer of the Seas were awoken to rescue efforts at 5am on Friday.

"They turned the ship about and launched multiple boats and had spotlights looking into the ocean. I could hear high pitch sounds coming from the distance. I fear someone may have gone overboard," wrote Aramedlig.

Later in the thread, the same user posted, "Confirmed it is a man overboard. They just made an announcement."

Explorer of the Seas is sailing a 7-Night Greece & Croatia itinerary that set sail from Ravenna, Italy.  According to the report, the ship was between Dbrovnik and Zadar, Croatia when the incident occurred.

Another Reddit user on the same sailing added more details regarding the rescue efforts. 

"They have several local ships on either side and about 6 of the onboard fast rescue launches out," wrote Harleys-for-all.

"We've formed a line in the sea about 2 miles wide and are slowly combing the area."

User lesleyanne_b shared a photo of the rescue efforts, "They’re still actively searching. High speed rescue ship and two tenders, with Croatian ship supporting on starboard side."

Kilo_watt added, "Croatian Coast Guard and Air Force are helping. Our port of call to Zadar today has been canceled."

Screenshot care of Marine Traffic

Based on the ship's path, it's clear it engaged in a series of movements in an effort to locate the passenger.

According to a report by the Croatian newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija, the person in question is, "a young citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

Explorer of the Seas is a large cruise ship, capable of carrying 4,290 passengers at maximum capacity, along with 1,185 crew members. She is 1,020 feet long and 157.5 feet wide.

The first sailing of Explorer of the Seas took place on October 28, 2000.

Onboard safety precautions

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low.

Deck railings on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are at least 42-inches high, which comply Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010.

In addition, there are thick metal or Plexiglas panels or metal bars are positioned under the railings to prevent people from slipping through. 

When a man overboard situation occurs, the media usually reports on it and it leads some to wonder how it could happen in the first place.

An article from The Points Guy points out cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

"The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to. It's not possible for you to trip over a door frame or slip on a wet deck and fall off of a vessel."

Passengers going overboard are rare

The chances of a cruise ship passenger going overboard are quite low, but it does occasionally happen.

In a report from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers between 2009 to 2019. 

Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

The CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.” 

While Explorer of the Seas may not have gotten her full amplification, she did get one big change.

Royal Caribbean sent Explorer of the Seas to dry dock for her regular maintenance schedule, which required the ship to sail to Europe and undergo work at the shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.

The nature of this work was primarily routine maintenance work related to the ship's technical maintenance. The dry dock started January 29, 2023.

Dry docks don't get announced or mentioned publicly by Royal Caribbean because unless it's a major ship upgrade, it doesn't seem to warrant attention from a marketing perspective. After all, maintenance work is not that exciting to most people.

However, there is one change Royal Caribbean included with this dry dock that is sure to be welcomed by many cruise fans.

A new pair of water slides are clearly visible atop of Explorer of the Seas.

These slides appear to be the racer slides that have been added to other ships, including Mariner of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas (among others).

Racer slides allow two people to slide down at the same time with the idea that they can compete to see who reaches the bottom first.

Other changes visible from photos of the vessel indicate it's been painted.

Explorer of the Seas is set to restart cruises in North American on March 12, 2023.

What is a dry dock?

When it comes to the routine maintenance and repairs of a ship’s hull, dry docks are an essential part of the process. While most ships will spend their time in the open ocean, they must occasionally be brought into a dry dock for maintenance and repair work.

A dry dock is essentially a large basin that can be filled with water, allowing ships to safely enter and anchor before the water is drained out. This allows workers access to the ship’s hull for inspection, cleaning, and repair. Dry docks provide a safe environment for these crucial maintenance tasks without exposing workers or ships to potential dangers found in the open sea.

Royal Caribbean ships are no different, typically requiring a dry dock at least once every five years. Before entering the dry dock, technicians fill up the basin with water so that ships can safely sail in. Once the ship is situated in its correct position, the gate is closed and water is slowly drained from the basin until it's completely dry.

Now that technicians have full access to the ship’s hull, they can begin inspecting it for any damage or corrosion that needs attention as well as performing any necessary cleaning or repairs needed to keep it seaworthy. After all tasks have been completed, then it's time to refill the basin so that ships can safely exit.

Dry docks are critical components of a marine fleet's maintenance program, providing technicians with an important tool for keeping vessels running smoothly year after year. Without them we wouldn't be able to ensure our ships remain in peak condition for years on end.

Not an amplification

At one point, water slides were just the beginning of changes Royal Caribbean had in mind for Explorer of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean began upgrading a number of its cruise ships, known as the Royal Amplified program.

The goal was to add innovative attractions, pools, bars, and dining to each ship.  In addition, new staterooms were introduced on most vessels.

The Royal Amplified program focused on three main areas:

Pool Deck & Attractions: A re-imagined outside pool deck to discover everything under the sun – from pools specifically designed with prime ways to lounge, to those programmed with diverse activities day and night, plus the boldest attractions and first-of-a-kind thrills on deck.

Examples of these experiences are: Sky Pad, The Perfect Storm, Laser Tag and Escape Room.

Bars & Nightlife: We will give your clients the chance to drink, clink and live it up in distinct new bars and nightlife spots that deliver on the three tenets of a great night out: unique drinks, ways to be entertained, and good food.

Examples of these experiences: The Bamboo Room and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.

Dining Mission: We will make delectable strides in delivering the cornerstone cuisines that guests have told us they crave – like great seafood, Mexican food, and Italian food – while upping our game in the fast, casual, grab & go category to keep our guests fueled between their adventures. Examples of these delicious culinary options are: El Loco Fresh, Hooked and Jamie’s Italian.

Explorer of the Seas was one of 10 cruise ships scheduled to get amplified, but due to the global health crisis of 2020-2021, the program was postponed due to financial reasons.

As far as we can tell, Explorer of the Seas did not undergo a full amplification during her time in dry dock this year.

Amplifications eventually

While Explorer of the Seas did not get a full set of upgrades, those plans are not cancelled.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider spoke in November 2022 about the Royal Amplified program and how he believes those changes will still occur down the line.

"We stopped that program. We hope to pick that program back up. It's just a priority of how we've restarted our business, we will eventually get back to amplification of ships."

Explorer of the Seas restart plans

Once back in service, Explorer of the Seas will resume sailings in March.

Explorer of the Seas will sail from Miami and offer 6- and 8-night cruises to the Western and Southern Caribbean.

Her first sailing back is on March 12, 2023 and it will be a 6-night Western Caribbean cruises that visits Perfect Day at CocoCay; Falmouth, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman.

In late April, Explorer of the Seas will conduct her 15-night transatlantic crossing from Miami to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

Explorer of the Seas will spend her summer in the Mediterranean and offer cruises from Venice (Ravenna), Italy to Greece and along the Adriatic. 

Not only is another Royal Caribbean cruise ship restarting sailing today, but a new homeport is making a return as well.

Explorer of the Seas will conduct her test cruise on Friday from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It appears the test cruise will run between October 29 to October 31.

Explorer of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to restart operations from San Juan since it shut down operations in March 2020 due to Covid-19.

Explorer will set sail from Puerto Rico with a seven-night itinerary, stopping in San Juan; St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI); St Croix, USVI; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and returning to disembark back in San Juan.

This is another simulated cruises required by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) as part of its phased approach to cruise ships restarting in the United States.

Royal Caribbean has been systematically getting its cruise ships back in service by staffing them up, operating a test cruise, and then once they get approval from the CDC, beginning revenue sailings.

The purpose of a test cruise is to demonstrate to the CDC that the onboard health protocols can work, and keep crew members and passengers safe.

Explorer of the Seas is the latest Royal Caribbean cruise ship to undergo a test cruise, which have been successful on all the other ships that have conducted them.

If the test sailing goes well, Explorer of the Seas could be ready for her first scheduled voyage on November 7.

What happens on a test cruise?

A simulated voyage (also known as a test cruise) is when Royal Caribbean operates its ships without paying passengers in order to demonstrate the Covid-19 protocols onboard are effective.

Test cruises also serve a dual purpose for the cruise line, as a way to give returning crew members a chance to prepare for paying guests later.

The CDC requires ships starting back up to go through a series of steps that prove the new health protocols onboard and simulate a few scenarios to ensure the ship and crew are prepared for any Covid-19 issues that could occur.

The CDC gives cruise lines the option of completing these requirements over one or multiple sailings, but thus far, Royal Caribbean has always completed its test sailings in just a single voyage.

Some cruise lines required at least 95% of its passengers be fully vaccinated, but Royal Caribbean has not and that is because of the line's dedication to families.

Royal Caribbean has been adamant that it wants families to be able to cruise, including children who are not old enough to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

As a result, Royal Caribbean decided to take the extra time to do test cruises so that it could continue to welcome children onboard its ships.

Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, called the decision "obvious" given how many kids sail with Royal Caribbean, along with the cruise line's dedication to remaining a family brand. "A good 20 to 25 percent of our guests are kids."

For the first time in quite a while, two Royal Caribbean ships visited Port Canaveral.

Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas each stopped in Port Canaveral this week for short resupply visits.

Allure of the Seas came into port first on Monday and docked at Terminal 1.

Photos by Paul Crow

Explorer of the Seas arrived in Port Canaveral on Thursday.

Photos by Twangster

Royal Caribbean did not disclose the purpose of the visits, but the safe bet is for resupply.

Throughout the cruise industry shutdown, cruise ships have made periodic visits to select ports to offload waste and bring on new supplies.

In North America, Royal Caribbean has primarily relied on PortMiami for these visits.  Other ports of resupply have included Barbados, Southampton and St. Kitts.

Both Explorer of the Seas and Allure of the Seas recently made the transatlantic crossing after spending their summer in Europe in warm lay up.

Both ships were also in Europe primarily to receive Royal Amplifications in 2020, but those plans had to be postponed until further notice due to the cruise line's current financial situation.

Royal Caribbean informed guests booked on Explorer of the Seas that it will cancel scheduled August 2020 sailings in order to get some of the scheduled work done on the ship.

Explorer of the Seas was scheduled for a $110 million Royal Amplification that would have added a number of changes from bow to stern. However, the closure of shipyards and disruption to the supply chain around the world has delayed the work from being done on time. 

Instead, Explorer of the Seas will undergo a technical dry dock only, where only routine maintenance work will take place. This is similar to what happened to Allure of the Seas as well, which is undergoing that work in Spain.

There is no word on if/when the other changes that were to be added to Explorer of the Seas will occur.

Emails were sent to travel agents and guests to inform them of the newly cancelled Explorer of the Seas sailings.

Guests on affected sailings have the choice of:

125% Future Cruise Credit to re-book a new cruise by December 31, 2021 for sailings departing on or before April 30th, 2022. This will automatically be issued by July 24th, 2020 via email if no action is taken.

Lift and Shift: If you prefer to move your existing booking to a 2021 sailing, you can take advantage of Royal Caribbean's new policy where the cruise line will price protect the original pricing and/or promotion on the same itinerary, length, product, and stateroom category as your original sailing within 4 weeks (before or after) of the original sail date in 2021.

You will need to contact your travel agent by June 25th to take advantage of this option.

100% Refund: if you prefer a full refund, you have until December 31, 2020 to request a refund and deactivate your certificate. You can expect to receive your refund 45 days after you submit your refund request.

If you made pre-cruise purchases, you can opt-in to receive an Onboard Credit in the value of 125% of the total Cruise Planner purchases on your reservation. Click here by June 25th, 2020 to request your higher value credit and we'll email you your credit by July 24th, 2020.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that the planned amplifications of Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas are on hold, due to the global impact of coronavirus.

Both ships had multi-million dollar amplifications scheduled for this year, but the work has been put on hold and the extend of enhancements to come is being re-evaluated.

Royal Caribbean confirmed on social media what many had feared was the case, following the closure of many European ports, along with Royal Caribbean's decision to cut 2021 capital expenditures.

A statement by Royal Caribbean confirms the post on social media.

In these unprecedented times, in addition to voluntarily suspending our global operations, port closures and travel restrictions have also affected the possibility of moving forward with our amplifications of Explorer of the Seas in Brest, France and Allure of the Seas in Cadiz, Spain this spring. Both amplifications have been put on hold at this time. With global developments rapidly evolving, we are reviewing all options to bring Explorer and Allure into dry dock this year and determining the extent of the enhancements we can implement.

Allure of the Seas was scheduled to undergo a 58-day, $165 million transformation that would have added new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Music Hall.

Similarly, Explorer of the Seas was planning to get a $110 million amplification that would have added a number of changes from bow to stern.

Royal Caribbean is currently not operating any cruises because of a month-long suspension of sailings to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Royal Caribbean announced $110 million in upgrades and enhancements to Explorer of the Seas coming in 2020.

The bow to stern refurbishment will prepare Explorer of the Seas for a summer 2020 season in the Mediterranean and include a number of big changes. Beginning May 7, 2020, Explorer – the first amplified ship to cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia) – sets sail on 7- and 9-night itineraries to the best of Italy and the Greek Isles, from Santorini to Mykonos and Crete.

The announced changes to Explorer of the Seas include:

• Perfect Storm waterslides: Two high-speed racer slides.

• Reimagined poolscape: New, resort-style look is coming to the pool deck. Hammocks, daybeds, casitas and in-pool loungers will be added.
• The Lime & Coconut is Royal Caribbean’s signature, poolside bar. The three-level venue is at the heart of the new pool deck and features a rooftop deck.
• Rejuvenated adults-only Solarium.

• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen: New refresh of Royal Caribbean's signature Italian restaurant. The reimagined trattoria will welcome guests to a casual setting and offer classics with a contemporary flair. From hand-tossed pizzas fresh out of the oven and made to order, to charcuterie delights, the elevated menu caps off this “Sunday supper” experience with a wide selection of wines and limoncellos from many of Italy’s well-known regions.
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, the high-energy spot where guests can root for their home team as the game plays across 52 TVs. On offer will be an extensive menu of bar fare favorites with a twist and ice-cold brews, games of all kinds – arcade classics, trivia, tournaments and pool – and the Owner’s Box VIP area.
• Johnny Rockets Express will be added to the pool deck to serve up classic American fare, including spiked milkshakes.
• A standalone Starbucks comes aboard with its signature menu of drinks and pastries.
• Glow-in-the-dark laser tag: Coming to Studio B, guests can fight in the Clash for the Crystal City and pit the Yetis and Showshifters against each other for, "the ultimate faceoff to escape extinction"

• Revamped Adventure Ocean: A major makeover to the cruise line's award-winning program for younger guests and their families.  It will feature an open, imaginative layout with whimsical and immersive activities. Kids 6 to 12 years old can choose their own adventure, while babies and 3- to 5-year-olds enjoy specially designed spaces for each age group

• An exclusive teens hangout will sport a whole new look and features, including the latest in movies, gaming and music, and the addition of a private outdoor deck.

While Explorer of the Seas is in the Eastern Mediterranean, she will be joined by Allure of the Seas in  the Western Mediterranean from Barcelona.

Following her European season, Explorer of the Seas will set course for the Caribbean. Guests can choose from 5- and 9-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean sailings, roundtrip from Miami, including visits to Royal Caribbean’s new private island destination – Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Explorer of the Seas is the fourth ship in the Voyager Class to be transformed as part of the cruise line’s Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort.